South Florida Gay News.com

Recent Broward Law Blog Features

Friday, March 27, 2009

Plea Deal for Chief's Wife Still Going Back and Forth With Controversy

The Sun Sentinel generates more controversy today on the shooting case involving the wife of Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Franklin Adderly. The Tonya Alanyez piece drives home the point that there are two sentencing standards, one for the rich and another for the poor.

As a defense attorney, your duty is not to apologize for the system. Your duty is to get your client the best deal. A defense lawyer, the NACDL argues, is liberty's last champion. But you first of all, are your client's most important advocate. We may work within a system which is far more unfair than it is just, but your duty is first to your client on the case before you.

If David Bogenshutz purportedly has the power and influence to shape an outcome more favorably for his client than a young public defender would for his, that may not be good for the system. But it is good for Mr. B and his client. And Mr. B's duty is first and foremost to the client retaining him. So while the Public Defender can advocate for a 'more better' and equal system as he should and must do, in the meantime if you can you go to the lawyer who will get you the best outcome. That is our job first and foremost, and we do not have to apologize for it.

One of the points that is made in the news piece has to be that justice is supposed to be color blind. But more than that, it is supposed to be gender neutral, economically equally, socially level, and overall, be fair to all regardless of pocketbook or power. That is what our community should strive for. That is what our public advocates must demand. Equal justice under the law. In the meantime, though, a defense attorney may not have the wherewithal at a given moment to turn the system around. He has but one person to answer to- his client.

Domestic violences crosses all social stratospheres. Maybe if this case serves a purpose it will be to insure that the State Attorney's office and courts fashion future remedies with the time, heart and consideration eventually to be meted out in the case involving the wife of the Chief of Police. Then we would be moving in the right direction together.

The Phelps Phactor

No Salmonella; Not Recalled

New Olympic Medals

New Cereal for Kellogg's

The Breakfast of Champions

Billy Joel 'Innocent Man'

Loading...

Legalize Freedom

It's NORML to Smoke Pot

Too Many Jailed

Words of Wisdom

“Experience should teach us to be most on guard to protect liberty when the Government’s purposes are beneficent. Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.”—United States v. Olmstead, 277 U.S. 438, 479 (1925) (Brandeis, J., dissenting)